Monte-Carlo Rally – Ogier in control, Fourmaux in the running, Neuville loses a lot

On the attack this Friday afternoon, Sébastien Ogier avoided the traps and the black ice to take the lead of the Rallye Monte-Carlo ahead of Elfyn Evans and Adrien Fourmaux. Victim of a puncture in the last special of the day, Thierry Neuville lost several more minutes.

Published 24/01/2025 à 18:16

Dorian Grangier

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Monte-Carlo Rally – Ogier in control, Fourmaux in the running, Neuville loses a lot

© Toyota Gazoo Racing

  • You don't win nine times the Rally Monte Carlo by chance. Sébastien Ogier showed that he was the master of the place this Friday afternoon, winning two of the three special stages contested on the second loop of the day and taking the lead of the event at the end of this second day of racing. At the halfway point, the Frenchman is in the lead with a 12″6 advantage over Elfyn Evans and 14″2 over Adrien fourmaux.
  • Still as solid on home turf, the eight-time world champion gave his rivals a lesson, particularly in the dreaded SS8 between Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes and La Bâtie-Neuve. This special, which had not been used in the morning after the cancellation of SS5, was still icy, with a particularly tricky hairpin. The driver Toyota managed this special stage and the next one perfectly, winning the scratch each time and escaping at the head of the rally.
  • Elfyn Evans tried to hold the lead of the rally, but the Welshman was guilty of a mistake in this famous icy hairpin. In trying to reaccelerate as quickly as possible, the Toyota driver went into a semi-spin. Forced to engage reverse gear, the Toyota driver lost around ten seconds and therefore the lead of this rally at the end of SS8.
  • Adrien Fourmaux was very solid and very offensive this Friday afternoon, and his attack is paying off: halfway through, the new recruit from Hyundai is 3rd overall with 14″2 behind Sébastien Ogier and only 1″6 behind Elfyn Evans. The Northerner is the first Hyundai driver and made no mistakes today – with even a first scratch in SS6 this morning – a great performance that will have to be confirmed until Sunday noon!
  • Thierry Neuville is the big loser this Friday: after an accident this morning in SS6, the Belgian had another mishap in SS9… in the same place as his accident this morning! This time, it wasn't a braking error, but a puncture that sent the world champion into the scenery in the same hairpin. Forced to drive slowly, the Hyundai driver lost two more minutes and now finds himself four minutes behind the leader. His chances of victory are now almost nil…

  • A difficult afternoon for the Belgians since Grégoire Munster also had his share of misadventures. The driver M-Sport, fourth at midday after a great morning and an inspired choice of tyres, lost a lot of time due to a puncture in SS8, relegating him to 6th place, 1'33 behind Sébastien Ogier.
  • In the WRC2 category, Yohan Rossel took the lead in the final stage of the day against Nikolay Gryazin. The Russian – who is not eligible for WRC2 points this weekend, just like Oliver Solberg – completed the entire second loop on studded tyres, a gamble that failed as he lost his footing on SS9 and allowed the Citroën driver to take the lead. The Frenchman has a 21″4 lead over his former team-mate. On the French side, Éric Camilli is 4th in the Rally2 category, Léo Rossel is 5th.

WRC – Rally Monte-Carlo
General ranking after ES9

ALSO READ > Route, timetables, entrants… The complete guide to the 2025 Monte-Carlo Rally

Dorian Grangier

A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.

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